Tag: chain hoist

During the hundreds of classes Columbus McKinnon’s training team has conducted over the years, there are a variety of questions that arise regarding the use, maintenance and inspection of overhead cranes and hoists. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to outline seven of the most common concerns, myths and misconceptions we’ve received from crane and hoist operators and technicians during our classes.

1. Question: Do monorails need to be labeled with their rated load?

Answer: According to ASME B30.11, rated load markings are not required on monorails but are recommended. Before marking the monorail, a qualified person must determine the rated load on the monorail beam. Once the monorail is marked, the rating should be legible from the ground floor. ASME’s recommendation also applies to marking the rated loads of hoists on the monorail. For more information on hoist marking guidelines, see ASME B30.16.

2. Question: Can rated loads for hoists and trolleys be different from the crane’s rated load?

Answer: The short answer to your question is “yes.” However, ASME B30.16 stipulates that when a system is comprised of components with different rated capacities, the rated load of the “system” shall be based on the lowest rated individual component.
System is defined as the combination of Monorail, Hoist and Trolley in the case of a Monorail and Crane; Hoist and Trolley in the case of an Underhung Crane.

ASME B30.16-1.3.2 states that the supporting structure, including trolleys, monorail, or crane, shall be designed to withstand the loads and forces imposed by the hoist for the rated load.

3. Question: Are yearly load tests required on a hoist and crane?

Answer: There is no specific time period during which load tests must be performed once the initial installation is inspected and load tested. Some states require operators to load test hoists and cranes every four years, but, in most cases, if the hoist is not altered, repaired or modified, it can remain in service indefinitely without a load test being required.

Answer: This depends on the type of crane. OSHA regulation 1910.179 applies to top-running overhead and gantry cranes with top-running trolley hoists. For these types of cranes, monthly inspections of the hoist’s chain, wire rope and hooks are required with a recorded certification. This certification record must include the signature of the person who performed the inspection and the identifier of the chain, wire and hook that was inspected. If a hoist and trolley are underhung, frequent inspections are required, but written documentation is not.

5. Question: Do you have to be certified to inspect and repair hoists and cranes?

Answer: According to ASME standards, you must be a “qualified person” to inspect and repair cranes and hoists. A “qualified person” is a person who, by possession of a recognized degree or certificate of professional standing, or who, by extensive knowledge, training and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter and work. These individuals do not have to be professional engineers.

6. Question: Do you need to disassemble hoists for yearly inspections?

Answer: Hoist disassembly is not always required for yearly inspections. What is found during the inspection typically determines how far you need to break down the hoist. Be sure to reference the manufacturer’s OEM manual when disassembling any hoist.

7. Question: Do chain slings require latches on hooks?

Answer: According to OSHA 1910.184 and ASME B30.9, slings do not require latches on the hooks, unlike hoist and crane hooks where latches are required unless they constitute a hazard.

To learn more, check out our Safety Webinar covering these same questions. I hope you find this information useful when using, repairing or inspecting overhead hoists and cranes.

If you follow NASCAR then there’s no doubt you are familiar with Stewart-Haas Racing – the title-winning NASCAR Spring Cup Series team made up of Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman and Danica Patrick.

But did you know that Stewart-Haas Racing relies on CM ShopStar electric chain hoists to build and repair their cars? To find out more about how they’re using the ShopStar, Ken Tilson, CMCO Product Manager – Powered Chain Hoists, and I took a trip to their headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

Stewart-Haas Racing utilizes an overhead crane system featuring six CM ShopStar electric chain hoists that are paired over three car-assembly areas to position NASCAR design templates onto cars under construction in their primary garage. An additional single CM ShopStar with 500 lb. capacity is used in their Research and Development Area.

Why did they choose the CM ShopStar?In the past, the Stewart-Haas crew used a common electric wire rope winch mounted to a mobile A-frame gantry to lift and position their car design templates. That system had slow lifting speeds and an unreliable brake that made this process both tedious and dangerous for the crew. The team converted to the CM ShopStar for its speed, dependability and dual braking system to make the process more efficient and safe.

Do you want to learn how to inspect our new CM Hurricane 360chain hoist?Peter Cooke, our Training Manager for Rigging & Load Securement, will teach you how to properly disassemble, inspect and reassemble our popular CM Hurricane 360 hand chain hoist in our free Safety Webinar. Peter will also walk you though how to set the brake on our CM Hurricane 360 and explain how it can handle your most challenging applications.

Do you have applications that call for drifting a load, standing above a load, or working in confined spaces?Unlike traditional hand chain hoists, the Hurricane 360 may be used in any direction due to its patented hand chain cover. It rotates 360 degrees allowing a convenient way to move loads without standing under or near the load. The hoist allows for positioning, pulling and lifting of loads from virtually any angle – making it the only hoist of its kind in the industry.

If you have dealt with these tough conditions when operating a hoist, check out our above videos and see how well the Hurricane handles the job.

Plus, Learn How to Inspect a CM Short Handle PullerDuring the webinar, Peter will also cover proper inspection techniques for our CM Short Handle Puller. This hoist has a similar brake, yet requires a different approach to set it than your typical Weston type brake. This mechanism was designed for precision positioning and is weatherized.

Answer: We are continuously looking to improve existing products. The main reason why we redesigned our lever hoist with a shorter handle was to facilitate usage in confined spaces, a highly sought after feature. Other advantages offered by a shorter handle include:

Reduced weight of the overall hoist, making it even easier to carry and operate;

Allows the operator to take full advantage of the 360 degree rotating handle with less worry of obstructions;

A Bruce Springsteen tour is an experience celebrated by fans around the world. At 62, Springsteen still knows how to rock the stage and give his audience a memorable show. During a time when entertainers are searching for a more intimate venue, Springsteen has made the experience for his fans up close and personal. How does he achieve this intimacy? With a state-of-the-art acoustic system including CM Lodestar electric chain hoists.

Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball Tour is a huge production consisting of 17 musicians, tons of acoustic gear (literally), wireless microphones, IEMS, and perfectly orchestrated logistics to make sure everything happens at the right time. For their rigging needs, the tour’s production team utilizes (9) two ton and (25) one ton CM Lodestar chain hoists.

Below are some reasons why the Lodestar is the hoist of choice in entertainment:

Meets international standards with the clutch outside of the gear train;

Quieter Operation with its precision helical gearing;

Less Maintenance with its heavy duty DC Brake and lifetime grease-lubricated Gear Box;

Easy Access to the control panel for quick voltage changes.

Interested in learning more about the internal components of the Lodestar? Check out this presentation.

Although I have only been at Columbus McKinnon for 5 years, our company has been designing and manufacturing hoists and rigging products for over 135 years. Brands like CM, Yale, Coffing, Little Mule, Duff-Norton, Budgit, Shaw-Box, Chester, Dixie, Cady, and Camlok (all of which are from Columbus McKinnon) continue to be recognized as providing superior material handling products to companies around the world.

No matter what facility I visit, I can usually find a product from Columbus McKinnon. Sometimes I see our products when I least expect it. While visiting the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine, I noticed the bell on the Sherman Zwicker (a 1942 schooner) was hanging on a CM shackle.

I also saw a CM Lodestar being used on a dock to unload lobster boats.

Although this picture is not a shining example of how to maintain and attach a hoist to a jib (or in this case a pipe), it is just another example of our products being everywhere. (By the way, we do offer training classes on crane and hoist maintenance and proper rigging techniques!)

So we would like to know “WHERE’S YOUR CM”!

You can post your CMCO product pictures on our facebook fan page wall or e-mail them to cmcolive@cmworks.com with a short description of where the picture was taken. Do you use any of our products? Are they in your facility? Maybe you’ve seen our hoists used at concerts to hold up the lighting truss system or our chain and binders used to tie down products on truck trailers. Regardless of the use, we want to see our products in action. WHERE’S YOUR CM?

This post was written by Stacie Wingfield, former Director of Marketing for Columbus McKinnon Corporation.

Columbus McKinnon is proud to announce its most versatile hand chain hoist yet; the CM Hurricane 360! Unlike traditional hand chain hoists; the Hurricane 360 may be used in any direction due to its patented hand chain cover that rotates 360 degrees allowing a convenient way to move loads without standing under or near the load. The flexibility and productivity of the Hurricane 360 has been captured in video to showcase just what a little hoist with big muscles can do!

Have you ever dealt with these tough conditions when operating a hoist? Check out these videos and see how well the Hurricane handles the job.

This post was written by Joshua Karczewski, former Distributor Marketing & Product Launch Manager for Columbus McKinnon Corporation.

15 ton CM Compensator Chain Hoist enables the pioneering “flying deck” high-rise construction techniqueThe crane pulls the deck out of the lower floor, where the concrete has been poured and cured, and the deck detached.

Flying Decks are a new and unique way of construction for high-rise buildings. They are pour-in-place floor forms that slide into the building. The main benefit of this system is the productivity it brings in the construction process. In many cases the need for reshoring is dramatically reduced, thereby increasing the speed of deck construction, cutting the time of formwork almost in half. Flying deck systems also provide significant savings in labor costs.

Columbus McKinnon has developed a hoist “The CM CompensatorTM” specifically designed for use with Flying Decks. It is used for load leveling of forms up to 30,000 pounds, sliding them out of building floors and into the upper deck by a tower crane.

The single hoist body unit is available in 7½, 9, 10, 12 and 15 ton capacities and provides many benefits over the competitive offerings available in the market.

Improved Operation:

Synchronizing issues are eliminated by using a single hoist unit rather that a double hoist unit. The result is a smooth predictable lift each time. Electro-mechanical geared limit switches for both the up and down direction prevent the hook block from being accidentally run into the hoist causing damage and shutting down the operation. The single unit hoist has a lower current demand than the double unit which reduces the draw on the power supply.

Reduced Maintenance Costs and Time:

The single hoist design requires less time to inspect and repair and fewer parts to stock/buy.

Compensator Hoist

Superior Quality and Design:

In addition to the geared limit switches, the CM CompensatorTM hoist has machined and hardened steel helical gears sealed in an oil bath power train reservoir which provide better performance and extended life.

Safety:

The CM CompensatorTM hoist is a very robust design. The hoist utilizes high strength chain, reducing the required reeving. The heavy duty chain container is manufactured out of steel and wire mesh for durability and strength as compared to competitive canvas containers. Additionally, the hook itself is heavy duty with wide throat openings allowing for easier attachment of slings, stingers and master links.